Exhibition guide now available to download.

Exhibition: 2nd-3rd March 2019

Two weeks to go! - All systems go.

With two weeks to go, we have today updated the website with (final?) details of all; stands, layouts and societies at the exhibition. This includes the all-important information about stand numbers and in which areas of the exhibition the stands are located.

This year, we have a new area on the upper balcony on the second floor, which was used for the MERG anniversary celebrations two years ago. This time, it's a general exhibition area, primarily dedicated to larger scale model railways.

We have a total of 75 stands this year, with 26 featuring layouts, in a wide variety of scales and sizes, 32 traders, including 3 new traders to our show this year, and 18 societies, covering model railways, other modeling, and the prototype railways.

After the unfortunate cancellation of the March 2018 exhibition, due to the dangerous conditions, we look forward to welcoming you all back for our 2019 exhibition. The exhibition will be held at the same venue as the last few - the Royal Leamington Spa College on the Warwick New Road in the Warwick end of Leamington Spa.

Enclosed below is the front of the exhibition flyer which gives the basic information about the exhibition. As far as the content of the exhibition is concerned, we've tried to keep to the same exhibitors, layouts and traders as we had booked for last year. Obviously a few have changed, mainly due to layout availability, so as final details are confirmed we'll be adding further details to the other exhibition pages here on the website.

This is currently the largest scale (7mm to 1 ft) modelling group in this club, although some club members have models and personal layouts in larger scales.

There are over a dozen members in the Group with a wide range of skill sets from novice to expert but with a common interest in producing a visually accurate and working, fine scale layout. Members are invited to contribute by constructing buildings and scenery, be involved in developing track layout and control, (or whatever is of interest to them).

The group meets every Thursday 7.30-10pm. Once a month there is a meeting to discuss progress with the layout, planning projects, discussing any issues and finances. Another night every month is set aside as a ‘running night’ when the layout is operated (or practiced) as if it is at an exhibition. Members bring their locomotives and rolling stock which are loaded onto the layout and operated in teams. Trains are marshalled and driven, adhering to signals and paths, then marshalled again ready for another journey. Locomotives and rolling stock are tested on non-running nights to reduce the number of operating issues on running nights.

The current layout (Kimble), has been in production for a number of years and is undergoing a massive change to its electronics. DCC train control is provided by MERG components including individual hand controllers plugged in at strategic points on the layout allowing lots of members to get involved. Track and signalling is currently operated separately by a ZTC master controller which will be replaced by MERG equipment in due course.

New members are always welcome and can either contact us through this site or simply join in at one of our Thursday night sessions.

Kimble - O Gauge Group's Current Layout

Overall measurements: 12.2m x 4.9m, (40’ x 16’). At exhibitions, the layout can be viewed from the front only or from the front plus one or both curved ends. It has its own lighting rig.A double track (continuous loop) main line has a through station and a six track fiddle yard which allows for 12+ trains to be marshalled at any one time. The modelled location is non-specific, the buildings and structures based on BR(LMR). The period represented for exhibition running extends from early BR to steam/diesel transition, demonstrating a wide variety of stock. Control is by DCC using MERG components. The majority of locos are fitted with sound decoders, and all signals are operational. The focus at exhibitions is running main line trains although loco movements on and off shed are an attractive feature.At the southern end (left), the town of Kimble is set on a hill, dominated by Knight’s Brewery with its array of industrial buildings, workers’ housing and private railway with a wagon turntable, (operated manually or with an automatic shuttle). Below the town there is a through station, set-back siding and a comprehensive motive power depot with roads leading to the loco shed, coaling/sand/water renewal, storage and turntable. At the north end (right), is an impressive viaduct, with hills, rocky outcrops, pine trees and a tunnel.All structures on the layout are scratch built, closely modelled on or inspired by actual prototypes.For transporting the layout, all the baseboards are stacked (up to 6 high) in bespoke wheeled trollies. Level access is required from a parking area to the exhibition hall. Erection and dismantling of the layout can be accomplished in less than two hours. Operating a reasonably intensive service requires 5 operators per shift from a team of 8 – 12.